Yahoo Lifestyle "The Audience Gets Weirded Out By It": 12 Succesful Actors Who Had Not-So-Succesful Music Careers
By this point, it comes as no surprise when actors announce that they're going to pursue music. Sometimes, they do it for a publicity boost or even as a promotion for whatever project they're working on. But other times, the famous individual simply has a lifelong passion for music or wants to express their creativity through a different medium for a while...
However, no matter how passionate a celeb may be about their musical endeavors, critics or the public will often tell them to "stay in their own lane." Whether it's albums that never charted or even backlash from fans, many famous people who've tried music typically don't stick with it. From Scarlett Johansson to Eddie Murphy, here are 12 actors who surprisingly had music careers:
Before she was known for roles in films such as Little Women and Midsommar, the 28-year-old actor had a somewhat successful singing career on YouTube. Under the name "Flossie Rose," Pugh posted covers of songs such as "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers and "Wonderwall" by Oasis, as well as some originals.
She later told the BBC, “I would have put money on me being a singer far more than being an actor. To me, being an actor was so far away. I knew I could do it, but I didn’t know how to get there. Whereas me with my guitar being recorded and going on YouTube…was far more accessible."
"I intend to release music," she continued, "It’s something I’ve been so conscious of ever since my acting career [took off], that I do miss it.”
In 2023, the Don't Worry Darling actor released her first recorded tracks as a singer-songwriter for the soundtrack of A Good Person. which she performed in the film as her character, Alison. She explained to PopSugar, "The cool thing was then as Florence, I got to record it outside of the movie, and I got to make it sound how I wanted it to sound. So, yeah, I got to kind of do both ways, which was really cool."
2.Gwyneth Paltrow:
Yep, the Goop founder and Academy Award-winning actor also had a brief stint as a country singer.
After immersing herself in country music for her role in the film Country Strong, Paltrow found that she connected with the genre, telling The Boot in 2010, "The amazing thing to me was, I really fell in love with country music. I never expected that it would become a part of who I am," she reflected. "It was a completely unexpected side-effect of doing the movie. Now, I'll be having a party and my friends will be like, 'What are we listening to?' And I'll say, 'Miranda Lambert. Love it! It's the best thing in the world.' I'm completely converted. The whole experience has been as surprising for me as it is for you."
The 52-year-old even performed the film's title track at the 2010 CMAs alongside country legend Vince Gill. Paltrow's music career seemed to be taking off, and she quickly signed a deal with Atlantic Records in March 2011 for an album that was supposed to be released later that year. Despite her enthusiasm, no record ever came of the contract.
3.Joe Pesci:
In the '90s, Joe Pesci was everywhere...including the recording studio. Six years after the box-office success of My Cousin Vinny, Pesci released a companion album called Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You. The biggest track off the satirical crooner-rap album was "Take Your Love and Shove It," which had lyrics such as, ahem, "Why don't you take your love and shove it up your big fat ass / you know you're the reason we're through!"
However, this comedic album wasn't Pesci's first foray into the music realm. In the 1960s, the Home Alone actor was prominent in the New Jersey music scene.
As noted in the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons musical Jersey Boys, Pesci actually introduced the band to songwriter Bob Gaudio, who would go on to write many of their chart-toppers. For a while, Pesci was also a member of Joey Dee and the Starliters — a band whose claim to fame was that legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix was briefly a member. By 1968, the actor released his first album, Little Joe Sure Can Sing, comprising covers of the biggest pop songs of the day. The album was not critically successful, and Pesci concentrated his efforts on his film career until 1999 — when he announced that he was retiring from acting to focus on music.
The Goodfellas star released a jazz album, Falling in Love Again, in 2003 under the identity "Joey Doggs." His latest album, Pesci...Still Singing dropped in 2019, shortly after the actor's appearance in the Netflix film The Irishman.
4.Alyssa Milano:
Thanks to her role as Samantha Micelli in the 1980s sitcom Who's the Boss? Alyssa Milano was one of the most successful child stars of the decade. After portraying Arnold Schwarzenegger's daughter in the action flick Commando, Milano's popularity reached new heights in Japan. A Japanese record label signed the teenager to a four-record deal to capitalize on this newfound fame.
Despite all four albums reaching platinum status in Japan, Milano refused to release her music in America, stating, "A lot of actors who release albums here are laughed at. I'm not interested in crossing over. I'd much rather have it released where it's appreciated than laughed at."
In 2022, the Charmed star made an Instagram post showcasing some promotional materials from her shortlived pop career with the caption, "#TBT my singing career. What?! I even had a 'best of' album. I went platinum and debuted ahead of The Rolling Stones. I’ve been given so many different opportunities to express my creativity."
5.Tom Felton:
Although the Harry Potter star began acting at 10, he first dreamed of being a musician, revealing to The Guardian in 2022, “A few months before acting, I was desperate to be a violinist."
Although the success of the iconic franchise derailed his music career for a bit, Felton released his first EP, Time Well Spent, in 2008 and started a YouTube channel — where he continues to post his newest releases.
The 37-year-old's musical career was never critically acclaimed — but fans and Potterheads enjoyed his EPs and singles, such as "Hawaii." However, one of the actor's newest songs, "Holding On," which he posted on TikTok in May, wasn't well received by even his most loyal listeners.
Unimpressed fans flocked to the comments, posting things like: "Tom Felton desperately needs employment. Someone get him in a hallmark movie quickly so he doesn't release more music." and "How's it possible that there's a worse song already been released this year that's worse than Jojo Siwa's 'Karma.' What is Tom Felton doing?"
Many believe the song was a reference to Harry Potter co-star Emma Watson opening up about the secret crush she harbored for him while shooting the film series, citing lyrics where Felton referred to himself as "just a boy on a skateboard and saying: 'I’ll still make your heart skip now like you were 17."
6.William Shatner:
After two years of Star Trek fame, William Shatner released his debut spoken-word album, A Transformed Man, in 1968. The record featured Shakespeare reenactments, a cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man," and a particularly dark and trippy rendition of The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." At the time, Critics labeled it an "unintentional comedy classic." And 38 years later, Q Magazine ranked it at no. 45 on the list of the 50 worst albums ever.
The negative reviews didn't deter him from his musical (or rather spoken word) path. The actor released another record in 1977 — a live double album of his onstage musings during a 1971 tour, where he read excerpts from Cyrano de Bergerac and The War of the Worlds.
In 1996, he and Star Trek costar Leonard Nimoy released Spaced Out, a compilation combining the biggest hits of their musical careers. Shatner decided to kick things up a notch in the new millennium and released Has Been in 2004 — his first studio album in 36 years.
Throughout the past two decades, he has released nine more albums and collaborated with many prominent artists, including Brian May, Iggy Pop, and Todd Rundgren. The actor decided to broaden his musical horizons in 2018 and venture into the realm of country music, releasing Why Not Me with Jeff Cook — a founding member of the country band Alabama. Later that same year, he dropped a holiday album titled Shatner Claus, featuring many notable acts. In 2024 alone, he has released two albums, including a recording with the National Symphony Orchestra.
7.Robert Downey Jr.:
Another Iron Man star who tried their hand at a music career was none other than Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr.
The 59-year-old first showed the world his singing abilities during his brief stint on Ally McBeal, performing Joni Mitchell's haunting Christmas ballad "River" for the A Very Ally Christmas special.
Downey released his debut album, The Futurist, four years later, which included two covers and eight original songs. At the time of the release, he told CBS News, "I think it's (performing) something that's been in my heart for a long time. I don't know. I thought, seeing as I'm pushing 40, it's time to do something a little more courageous than just make faces for cash and chicken [referencing his acting career]." The Oppenheimer actor further revealed that his original dream was to be a musician, but an acting job came along before his music career had a chance to take off.
The album received mixed reviews, with USA Today writing that the album “can seem pretentious or simply dull after a while, but there is a moody musicality to tracks such as ‘Man Like Me’ and ‘Details,’” and AllMusic deemed his debut lyrically “obtuse." The album peaked at 121 on Billboard's Top 200. In 2022, Downey told Far Out magazine that he had no desire to create another album and would rather spend his free time with family than in a studio.
8.Scarlett Johansson:
In 2007, the Black Widow actor revealed a long-held secret to the Associated Press, "I actually started acting because I wanted to be in musicals when I was a little girl. That’s where my dream career was going to be when I was 8 years old, like the young Cosette in 'Les Miserables.' Then I started making films and I never ended up doing musical theater. Of course, by the time I turned 13, I kind of buried that part of myself. You know, it’s always been there. I’ve always loved to sing and I’ve always loved music and listened to lots of music and all kinds of music."
Johansson released her debut album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, the following year. The 11-track album featured mostly Tom Waits covers, with one original ballad called "Song for Jo." In 2009, she released her follow-up album, Break Up, with singer-songwriter Pete Yorn. Both albums received mixed reviews, as PopMatters summed it up in their review of Anywhere I Lay My Head, "There’s no in between for this one; it will go down as one of those love it or hate it records.
In 2015, she formed an all-female band called The Singles with Holly Miranda, Kendra Morris, Julia Haltigan, and Este Haim on drums. The then-30-year-old told Rolling Stone, “The idea was to write super-pop dance music written and performed by girls. I wanted it to be like those bands [referencing inspirations such as Grimes, the Go-Go's, and the Bangles]: ultra-pop but also a little ironic, a little in on the joke.”
Vincent Frederick, the frontman of another group called The Singles, wrote a press release, “I woke up one morning and learned from the news that our band name was literally just taken by someone else as their own. It’s hard to believe that any musician would do something like that to another band. The Singles has been my life for the past 16 years. We have worked so incredibly hard to make it a success.” He then issued ScarJo a cease-and-desist order after the release of her group's first and only single, "Candy."
9.Eddie Murphy:
Believe it or not, the acclaimed actor and voice behind everyone's favorite animated donkey had a few hits back in the day.
Murphy released three studio albums in an eight-year time span. His musical career began in 1985 when fellow comedian Richard Pryor bet $100,000 that the Saturday Night Live star couldn't sing. With the help of funk icon Rick James and Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro, Murphy set out to prove Pryor wrong and released a very '80s bop called "Party All the Time."
The song quickly climbed the charts, reaching the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 — only outranked by Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me" — and the video received much fanfare on MTV. The Beverly Hills Cop actor wrote in the liner notes for the full album How Could It Be, “To Richard Pryor, my idol, with whom I have a $100,000 bet. No, motherf*cker, I didn’t forget."
In a 1987 appearance on The Johnny Carson Show, Murphy confessed, "My album could have been much better but it came out okay."
As Murphy's popularity waned in the late '80s and '90s, so did the success of his next two albums. Despite not releasing a full-length album since 1993, Murphy revealed to Page Six that he "never stopped doing music" but rather quit releasing it "because...the audience gets weirded out by it. And I don’t want to be that guy.”
10.Bruce Willis:
Before he was kicking butt as John McClane, Bruce Willis was releasing Motown albums. His debut album — released in 1987 — The Return of Bruno, was a soundtrack for an HBO mockumentary of the same name, which followed the career of fictional singer "Bruce Randoli."
The Moonlighting actor collaborated with many notable soul artists on the album, including Booker T. Jones, June Pointer (of The Pointer Sisters), and The Temptations. The album did surprisingly well on the charts, peaking at number 14 on the US Billboard 200. The lead single, "Respect Yourself" (a cover of the Staples Singers' 1972 hit), which he performed with June Pointer, was a chart-climbing hit in the US, Great Britain, and Canada.
Two years later, the follow-up album, If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger, was released under the actor's real name rather than his "Bruce Randolini" character. It received far less fanfare than his debut. In 1999, a "greatest hits" compilation of material from his first two albums was released. The 69-year-old has also contributed to multiple film soundtracks — including Rugrats Go Wild, when he performed a duet with The Pretender's lead singer, Chrissie Hynde, and a memorable rendition of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" from the perspective of Tommy Pickles' dog, Spike.
11.Jennifer Love Hewitt:
Hewitt's musical career began in 1989 when she — alongside other members of Kids Incorporated, including Fergie — sang backup on Martika's "Toy Soldiers," considered one of the greatest one-hit wonders of the eighties.
She was then signed to Meldac — a Japanese music and video company — and released her first album, Love Songs, in 1992. The record, exclusively released in Japan, was an instant hit, and the Heartbreakers actor was immediately elevated to pop star status. Three years later, because of her popularity in the sitcom Party of Five, she was signed by Atlantic Records and released another album — this time in the United States — called Let's Go Bang in 1995. Neither the album nor its single, "Couldn't Find Another Man," ever appeared on the chart. Although her acting career was growing by leaps and bounds, even a third self-titled album failed to capitalize on her onscreen success.
It wasn't until the release of the horror classic I Know What You Did Last Summer that any of Hewitt's musical endeavors appeared on the charts, with her single "How Do I Deal" peaking at No. 59 on the Hot 100.
After appearing in several music videos over the course of five years, the now 45-year-old signed her third record contract with Jive Records and recorded her fourth album, BareNaked, which charted in the US, Australia, and the Netherlands.
Since 2004, Hewitt has been mostly inactive in the music scene, other than the release of two compilation albums and a 2013 cover of "I'm A Woman," which was used to promote The Client List.
12.Lucy Hale:
Although most people associate Lucy Hale with her onscreen work, the Tennessee native dreamed of being a singer long before she considered acting.
When she was 13, Hale became a Top 5 finalist in American Juniors, an American Idol spinoff aimed at preteens. Two years later, the budding singer/actor moved to Los Angeles with her mom to pursue her passion for music further. After the move, acting opportunities began popping up for the teen, and by 2010, she had landed a full-time acting gig as Aria on Pretty Little Liars.
However, Hale didn't let her busy schedule derail her love for music. In 2012, she signed with Hollywood Records and set out to create a country music album. The first single, "You Sound Good to Me," skyrocketed to the top of the charts, reaching no. 1 on iTunes country and no. 15 overall.
Even CMT was impressed, writing, “the actor-turned-singer sounds very legit, very country, and much like a sure thing for country radio.”
The album Road Between was released on June 3, 2014, and peaked at no. 4 on the US country charts. A 2015 tour promoting the album was announced but later canceled due to vocal cord strain. After the cancellations, Hale wrote, “I am devastated that I can’t be out performing for my fans who have been incredibly supportive, but I have been advised not to embark on a tour at this time. You know I hate letting y’all down and thank you for your understanding.”
In 2018, the actor opened up about her decision to cancel the tour, “I would love to just make albums and write and be in the studio all day—I love that part of it. But it was really hard for me to embrace the touring part of it [after my last album]. Performing live made me a very anxious person all the time, so I was like, ‘Why am I putting myself through that if it’s making me a hot mess?’ I had to take a step back from that and reevaluate how I wanted to do music and where it fits in. At the end of the day, it’s still my hobby; I love music more than anything. I’d love to make another album and then obviously [sing] through acting jobs."
Which one of these actor's music careers surprised you the most? Do you know of other celebs who tried crossing over into music? Let us know in the comments!
